Chapter 1: Chapter 1

C1 – Expensive Watermelons

Nestled in Basinview County of Strathmore Province lies the quaint Green Mountain Village of Walden. Here, the mountains are cradled by meandering rivers. The crew of “Great Adventurers” made their way along the serpentine, muddy mountain roads to this scenic locale.

Popular actress Lin Luqin was in the midst of a live broadcast, phone in hand, as she navigated the rustic terrain. “Remote as it may be, the air here is incredibly fresh,” she remarked. “Just look at how blue the sky is, with clouds like cotton candy. Along the way, I’ve spotted so many squirrels—they’re not the least bit scared of us. Absolutely adorable.”

Thanks to her sweet demeanor and refreshing image, Lin Luqin’s live stream was bustling with a multitude of fans. “Take it easy, Luqin,” cautioned a fan. “Watch out for the mud pits.” Another expressed surprise: “I can’t believe there are places so poor in our country that not even cars can pass through, yet people actually live here.” “Luqin is enduring so much for this live stream,” they sympathized.

Her fans were deeply concerned, believing that a girl as beautiful as Lin Luqin belonged in a pink castle like a princess, not broadcasting from the rugged mountains. But Lin Luqin was unfazed and relished the experience.

“Check it out, there’s a watermelon patch over there, and someone’s working the field,” she pointed out. “Perfect timing—I’m parched and could go for some watermelon.” Approaching the field, however, she furrowed her brow in puzzlement. “Why are these watermelons black?”

The chat in her live stream lit up with comments. “Those watermelons are as black as coal. Are they even edible?” “I’ve never seen watermelons like that before.” “Ask the farmer about them. He looks pretty handsome from behind, even with the mud.” As he turned around, the comments continued, “He’s so young!” “I’m ready to fall in love with him!”

“How can there be such a handsome man in a mountain village?” someone mused. Lin Luqin’s heart raced as the young man stood under the sun, smiling at her. The image of him amidst the watermelons was strikingly picturesque.

The program team paused for a moment, captivated, before they began snapping photos. His rugged charm was effortless. Mud-splattered and with rough skin, nothing could diminish his natural allure.

In the background, Zhao Yuegu silently wondered, “Have they all gone mad?”

He had assumed his sister was bringing him a meal, but as he looked up, he was met with blank stares from the group, which left him feeling uneasy.

And to make matters worse, that stunning woman was nearly stepping on his watermelon!

Why did she look like she was salivating?

Sure, he had cultivated some fine watermelons, but what was making her drool over him?

Eventually, Zhao Yuegu spoke up, “Watch your step. If you damage the watermelon, you’ll owe compensation.”

He had poured his heart and soul into nurturing these watermelons and couldn’t bear the thought of them being harmed.

His warning snapped Lin Luqin out of her daze. She dabbed at her mouth, asking, “Is this really a watermelon? Why is it black?”

Zhao Yuegu responded offhandedly, “It’s a unique variety.”

Truth be told, he had his doubts about the edibility of such an unusual black watermelon.

After all, it was a seed provided by the system.

Yes, he was a transmigrator.

While others ended up wealthy or influential upon crossing over, he found himself in the mountains.

All he had were six acres of land and a sister.

Thankfully, he had the system.

The Super Farming System was all about agriculture.

Zhao Yuegu felt resigned.

But he soon embraced it, as the system proved to be quite beneficial.

While others grew crops for food, he grew them for cash.

Planting a crop netted him 8,000 dollars, harvesting one earned him 10,000 dollars, and for tending and pest control, he could make 100,000 dollars per acre.

Plus, there were other special bonuses from the system.

The best part? All transactions were in dollars.

To date, Zhao Yuegu had amassed a fortune of tens of millions of dollars.

He had never ventured beyond these mountains, yet unexpectedly, visitors had found their way here.

“I was just fretting over how to sell these watermelons!”

“Lucky me.”

As luck would have it, Lin Luqin, trying to save face, crouched down and gave the watermelon a tap. She was surprised at its crispness. With a single tap, it split open, revealing the succulent red flesh inside.

“It’s definitely a watermelon, and it smells incredibly sweet!”

Unable to contain herself, Lin Luqin swallowed hard and turned her gaze to Zhao Yuegu.

“How much for this melon?”

Zhao Yuegu promptly held up five fingers.

“Just five bucks?”

She shook her head.

“Fifty, then?”

Another head shake from Zhao Yuegu.

Lin Luqin furrowed his brow, “You’re not saying it goes for five hundred, are you?” The nearby staff members were visibly perplexed.

“Fifty thousand, firm,” Zhao Yuegu declared.

The price was dictated by the Super Farming System, which made him speak with a hint of uncertainty.

He glanced at the task at hand.

“Sell watermelons. Each must be priced at no less than five thousand yuan. Complete this task, and you’ll earn a tenfold reward.”

Put simply, if Zhao Yuegu managed to sell a watermelon for 5,000 yuan, the system would grant him a bonus of 50,000 yuan.

Zhao Yuegu had even inquired what would happen if he couldn’t sell the watermelons.

The system had explained that spoilage was not an issue, but underselling would result in penalties.

Lin Luqin exclaimed in disbelief, “Have you lost your mind?”

“Selling one watermelon for five thousand? With that kind of money, I could buy nearly half an acre of watermelons!”

The rest of the staff gave Zhao Yuegu wary looks.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Is he trying to scam us out of our money?”.